6 September 2022

Care staff from Katharine House will be going above and beyond this weekend when they take part in a mammoth walking challenge in aid of the hospice.

Nurses Susan Chambers and Sarah Parkin, Deputy Sister Nicola Rossiter and Healthcare Assistant Ava Moreno will be taking on the massive Thames Path Challenge 50k Walk this Saturday 10 September to raise money for the hospice.

The fundraising four will be joined by student nurse Louise McGennity, who was previously placed at Katharine House.

Sarah said she expected the walk to take around 12 hours and they will all be packing extra snacks, socks and blister plasters.

She said: "It’s a long way – just over 31 miles – so we just have to keep reminding each other to keep putting one foot in front of the other and we’ll get there.

"I’m really looking forward to the atmosphere and chatting with people on the route – and the celebratory meal and beer at the end!

"We all signed up for the same reason. Katharine House is an incredible place where we can offer patients amazing care but also extra touches that really matter. As a charity, we rely on fundraising and donations to continue offering this kind of care to our local community. 

"We all know that death is a fact of life. But if we can help patients have as good a death as possible and support their families then it’s so worthwhile.

"My mum died at Katharine House in 2004, long before I worked there, and the team were so great with us. So, as well as helping to raise money for the hospice, I’m also doing the walk with her memory in mind."

Over 3,000 people will join the Putney Bridge start line for the Thames Path Challenge 50k walk, walking through the beautiful scenery of Richmond, Hampton Court, Runnymede and Windsor to a riverside finish line.

Photo: from left to right: Susan Chambers, Ava Moreno, Nicola Rossiter, Sarah Parkin.

The group have already raised more than £1,300 on their JustGiving page and hope to raise more.

Related pages

• If you want to take part in a challenge event in aid of Katharine House, visit our Challenge events page. 
• To find out more about the work we do, read What we do or explore our For Patients and Families pages.
• To receive regular news about development at the hospice and fundraising events, please sign up to our digital newsletter.